Washington, D.C. – Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement today on the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw 17 U.S. sites, including Virgin Islands National Park, from the United Nations World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) protected list.

The changes occurred at a recent meeting in Paris of the U.N. International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme. As National Geographicfirst reported, “Prior to this year, a total of 18 sites had been removed from the program since 1997, by seven countries” – putting the U.S. request just short of equaling the total number of removals in the past 20 years.

At the recent meeting, Bulgaria requested that three of its sites be removed from the list – the only other country to request any removals. Other nations collectively added a total of 23 sites to the list at the meeting.

“President Trump keeps putting America last on the world stage,” Grijalva said today. “Our goal should be to lead international conservation efforts, not run from them. Some House Republicans have tried to sell the same bizarre story for years that participating in U.N. programs means soldiers in blue helmets will take over U.S. property. They found a believer in the White House.”